Snap-in bar for toilet tissue rolls



Nov. 4,1958 5. SARRO SNAP-IN BAR FOR TOILET TISSUE ROLLS Filed 'May 4, 1954 INVENTOR EILNIO SHRRO BY get HTTUHNEY' United States PatentO SNAP-IN BARFOR TOILET TISSUE ROLLS ,Silvio Sarro,=New York, N. Y.

Application May 4,1956, SerialNo. 582,670

.2, Claims. (Cl. 242-.55.2)

This invention relates to supports for rolls of toilet tissue, and more particularly has reference to a bar extendible through the core of the supported roll, which bar is adjustable as to length, and is adapted .to be snapped into place together with the supported roll.

One object of importance is .to provide ea ,device as stated which will be particularly adapted tofacilitate insertion of a fresh roll of tissue into an associated bracket, and to facilitate equally well the removal of the .core and support bar following exhaustion of the supply of tissue.

Another object of importance is to provide a device as stated wherein the support bar for the roll will be substantially concealed when in place, so as not to detract from the appearance of the supporting bracket.

Still another object is to provide a snap-in barwhich will be inherently capableof being ,fiexed longitudinally to facilitate its insertion and removal, and which will further be inherently adapted to return toa' straight condition when it has been fully inserted, 7

Yet another object is to provide a snap-in support bar fora roll of toilet tissue thatrwill have, in cooperating relation to the inherent adaptability of the bar for longitudinal flexure, means [for adjusting the .overall length of the snap-in bar. V

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying. drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a toilet tissue roll and associated snap-in bar embodying one form of the invention.

Fig. ,2 is an enlarged detail central sectional view of the roll and bar installed in position in va supporting wall.

'Fig. .3 is a part elevational and .part sectional view of a modification of the invention, the dot-dash lines indicating a step in the installation of the snap-in bar.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane of the line 44 of Fig.8.

5 is a perspective view of the bracket of Fig. 3.

[Referring to the-drawings and particularly Figs. 1 and 2, the first form -of the invention is shown as comprising a cup-shaped or hollow cylindrical casing fitted in a similarly shaped recess 11 in a wall W. The casing is formed with a pressed-out bead portion 12 adjacent its open end seated in and interlocked with the walls of a similarly shaped counterbore 13 formed in the recess '11 whereby the casing is secured in position. The open end of the casing is formed with a peripheral flange 14 seated around and sealing the mouth of the recess.

The snap-in bar indicated generally at 15 includes an elongated tubular member 16 that is formed of rubber material, thus to permit longitudinal fiexure of said tubular member out of its normally straight condition. The rubber material of which the tubular member is formed,

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however, .is inherently tensioned to cause the tubular member to extend in a straight path. The longitudinal flexing of the member will, of course, slightly reduce the overall length of the member, to facilitate its being snapped through the mouth of the casing to the interior thereof .or, alternatively, to facilitate its removal therefrom.

Internal threads 17 are formed in the oppositeends of lhe tubular member 16, and in engagement with said threads are externally threadedsleeves ,18 of metal material. The threaded connection permits the sleeves to be adjusted axially of the tubular member, and at their outer ends, the sleeves project beyond the adjacent ends of member 16. The outer ends of the sleeves are formed with inwardly directed circumferential flanges 19.

Engaged in thesleeves are ball elements 20, said ball elements being freely rotatable within the sleeves and being limited against movement axially of the sleeves in a direction outwardly from the tubular member by the flanges 19. To hold the ball elements against movementinwardly of the sleeves the sleeves may be internally threaded as at 21, to receive plugs 22 bearing against the ball elements.

In use of the device, the snap-in bar 15 is inserted through the core C of a roll of tissue .R. Thereafter, the roll is grasped and is inserted through the mouth of the casing 10 with .the ball elements 26 sliding along the inner surface thereof. The distance between the outermost portions of the ball elements, when the tubular member is in its, unflexed condition, is slightly greater than the inner diameter of the casing 10 so that it spans the mouth of the casing and when positioned thereacross and pressure is exerted at its center, the tubular member will be flexed slightly as shown in Fig. 3, to shorten its length to permit the ball elements 20 to enter through the mouth of the casing.

Thereafter continued pressure will slide the ball elements along the the inner surface of the casing until they drop into the annular depression 23 defined by the head 12, at which time the tubular element will expand to its normal length holding the snap-in bar in position.

It will be understood that adjustments can be made in the overall length of the snap-in bar 15 by threading of the sleeves 18 inwardly or outwardly of the ends of the tubular member 16, as desired, so that in every instance the snap-in bar, when in its inner position with the ball elements engaged in depression 23, will be capable of returning to a straight condition. At the same time, the adjustment is such that the ball elements will remain securely engaged Within the shallow depression.

On exhaustion of the supply of tissue, the removal of the device is effected in the same manner as the insertion thereof, that is, tubular member 16 is flexed slightly for the purpose ofpermitting the ball elements to move out of the depression 23 and slide outwardly through the mouth of the casing clear of the casing 10.

The device, as will be apparent, has certain notable advantages, as for example the snap-in bar is capable of being readily adjusted as to its normal overall length, to properly fit in the casing. Further, the adaptability of the bar to be flexed against the inherent springiness of the rubber material of the tubular member 16 facilitates the insertion and removal of the bar, while still permitting the support casing to be manufactured at relatively low cost from a rigid material.

In Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, a modified form of snap-in bar 15 is shown positioned between a wall bracket 25 secured to a supporting wall W by means of screws 26. The bracket is shown as having a U-shaped body with a bight portion 27 and side arms 28, the screws 26 passing through holes 29 in the bight portion. The arms 28 are in parallel relation to each other and are rigidly constituted, that is, the arms are not capable of being springably flexed and at all times remain in the parallel relation illustrated.

At their outer ends, the arms 28 are curved outwardly as at 30 to facilitate insertion and removal of the snapin bar 15'. Formed in the inner faces of the arms, at the outer ends thereof, are narrow guide grooves 31, said grooves opening at one end upon the flared r curved portions 30 and terminating at their inner ends a short distance inwardly from said flared portions. The guide grooves are transversely curved, and at their inner ends merge into shallow concavities or depressions 32.

The snap-in bar 15 comprises a tubular member 16' constructed similarly and of the same material as the tubular member 16 of the form of Figs. 1 and 2, but at one end, the righthand end as viewed in Fig. 3, the bore of the tubular member is smooth and the sleeve 18 and plug 22 of the form of Figs. 1 and 2 have been eliminated. In this form, the diameter of ball element 20' is slightly larger than the diameter of the bore of the tubular member at its outer end so that said outer end tightly grips the ball element and holds it in position.

In use of the modified form, the snap-in bar 15 is inserted through the core C of a roll of tissue R and the roll shifted into the space between the arms 28 with the ball elements sliding within the guide grooves 31. The tubular member 16' will flex similarly to tubular member 16 permitting this movement. When the ball elements move into the shallow depressions 32, the tubular member will be free to return to its normal straight condition, since the distance between the center points of the depressions is equal to that between the outermost portions of the ball elements.

It will be understood that adjustments can be made in the overall length of the snap-in bar 15' by threading of the sleeve 18' inwardly or outwardly of the end of the tubular member 16' 'asdesired, so that in every instance the snap-in bar 15', when in its inner position with the ball elements engaged in depressions 32 will be ca pable f returning to a straight condition. At the same time, the adjustment is such that the ball elements will remtain securely engaged within the shallow depressions.

In all other respects, the form of invention shown in Figs. 3-5 is similar to the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. A toilet tissue roll support device comprising a bracket having a bight portion adapted for connection to a wall surface, arms projecting forwardly from the ends of said bight portion, and a roll support bar extending between said arms, said bar being longitudinally flexible for insertion and removal of the same between the arms,

the bar constituting a tubular member of inherently springable material with a solid side wall tensioned to normally flex to a straight condition, and means adjustable axially of the tubular member for adjusting the overall length of the bar, said means comprising a sleeve threadedly engaged in one end of the tubular member, and ball elements carried by the sleeve and by the opposite end of the tubular member and projecting beyond the opposite ends of the tubular member, a plug threaded into said sleeve and adjustably contacting the ball element carried by the sleeve, said arms being formed with guide grooves adjacent their ends extending longitudinally of the arms, said ball elements being slidable in said guide grooves for adjustment of the bar into and out of a roll supporting position, said arms having shallow, confronting depressions communicating with the grooves, the ball elements seating in said depressions in the fully inserted position of the bar, the arms at their outer ends having end portions diverging in a direction away from the bight portion to define guideways extending to said guide grooves, the guide grooves, at the ends thereof remote from the depressions, merging into the inner surfaces of said divergent portions of the arms.

2. A toilet tissue roll support device comprising a bracket having a bight portion adapted for connection to a wall surface, arms projecting forwardly from the ends of said bight portion, and a roll support bar extending between said arms, said bar being longitudinally flexible for insertion and removal of the same between the arms, the bar constituting a tubular member of inherently springable material with a solid side Wall tensioned to normally flex to a straight condition, and means adjustable axially of the tubular member for adjusting the overall length of the bar, said means comprising a sleeve threadedly engaged in one end of the tubular member, and ball elements carried by the sleeve and opposite end of the tubular member and projecting beyond the opposite ends of the tubular member, said sleeve being formed with inwardly directed flanges at its outer end limiting movement of the ball element axially of the sleeve in a direction outwardly from the tubular member, the sleeve being internally threaded at its inner end and including a plug threaded to engage the internal threads to limit axial movement of the ball element relative to the sleeve in an opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

